The worst-case scenario would see City in a group with Bayern, now managed by Pep Guardiola, plus big-spending French champions Paris St-Germain - who are second seeds - and Napoli, the Italian club now managed by Rafa Benitez.

Napoli are the club to avoid from that pot as Benitez has former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain among his new recruits.

The draw in Monaco will see 32 clubs divided into eight groups of four. Each group will be made up of one club from the pot of top seeds, one from the group of second seeds, one from the third seeds and one from the fourth seeds.

No club can be in a group with another club from the same country, or from the same pot of seeds, which means United, Chelsea and Arsenal will all be assured of avoiding each other and the biggest names in Europe until the knock-out rounds.